The present invention is directed to dispensing packages for fluent products such as viscous liquid products, and more particularly to a package that includes an integrally molded plastic container and a closure with dispensing valve integrated into the contours ofthe container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,777, assigned to the assignee of the present application, discloses a dispensing package and method of manufacture in which the package includes an integrally molded plastic container having a recessed surface with dispensing opening in the upper portion of the container, and a closure secured within the recess and having a valve element for selectively closing and opening the container outlet to dispense product. In some embodiments disclosed in the noted patent, the closure is of integrally molded plastic construction, having a base secured over the container dispensing opening within the recessed portion of the container, and a valve element coupled to the base by an integral hinge for selectively opening and closing the package.
Although the dispensing package and method of manufacture disclosed in the noted patent address and overcome problems theretofore extant in the art, further improvements are desirable. It is an object of the present invention to provide a container and closure package of the type disclosed in the above-noted patent that improves securement of the closure on the container to help prevent inadvertent disassembly of the closure from the container during handling or opening of the package or during dispensing of product from the package. Another object of the present invention is to provide a container and closure package ofthe type illustrated in the noted patent that is characterized by increased strength in the container around the dispensing opening so as to prevent distortion or collapse of the container due to top load forces during removal of moil flash from the container as molded or securement of the closure on the container. A further object of the invention is to provide a container and closure package of the type illustrated in the above-noted patent in which the closure exhibits increased strength and reduced susceptibility to process variations during manufacture. Yet another object ofthe present invention is to provide a container for use in such a package, a closure for use in such a package, and a method of forming such a package.
A container and closure package for dispensing a fluent product in accordance with one aspect of the present invention includes an integrally molded plastic container having a flexible body and a recessed portion in the upper exterior of the container body. The recessed portion of the container has a base wall, at least one sidewall extending upwardly from the base wall, an outlet opening in the base wall, and laterally opposed recessed side portions extending from the base wall and being recessed inwardly from the sidewall portion of the container body. A closure is secured to the container in the recessed portion of the container in communication with the outlet opening. The closure has a valve movable from a closed to an open position to dispense product from the interior ofthe container, and laterally opposed aprons that extend along the recessed side portions of the recessed portion of the container. In the preferred embodiment in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the recessed side portions of the container include respective exterior retention beads, and the closure aprons include respective interior retention beads that are secured over the exterior retention beads on the container for holding the closure on the container. The outlet opening in the recessed portion of the container is surrounded by an axial wall that has an exterior retention bead, and the closure has a complementary annular wall with an interior retention bead that is secured over the exterior retention bead on the outlet opening annular wall. Thus, in this preferred embodiment, the beads on the annular walls surrounding the container outlet opening, and the beads on the closure aprons and container sidewall portions, cooperate to retain the closure on the container during handling ofthe package, during opening of the package during use, and during dispensing of fluent product from the package.
A container and closure package for dispensing fluent product in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, which may be implemented separately from or more preferably in combination with other aspects of the invention, includes an integrally molded plastic container having a flexible body and a recessed portion in the upper exterior of the container body. The recessed portion has a base wall, at least one sidewall extending upwardly from the base wall, an outlet opening in the base wall surrounded by an annular wall, and a raised web extending along the base wall from the at least one sidewall to the annular wall that surrounds the outlet opening. A closure is secured to the container in the recessed portion of the container in communication with the outlet opening, and includes a valve movable from a closed position to an open position to dispense product. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the recessed portion of the container is defined in part by a pair of opposed sidewalls that extend upwardly from the base wall, and a raised web extends from each sidewall to the annular wall that surrounds the dispensing opening. These raised webs increase the strength of the container around the annular wall that surrounds the outlet opening to prevent distortion and buckling during application of top load forces during removal of moil flash following molding of the container, and during application of the closure to the container.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, which again may be implemented separately from or more preferably in combination with other aspects of the invention, at least one gusset or rib extends from each closure apron radially inwardly to the closure annular wall that is received over the annular wall surrounding the container outlet opening. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of spaced gussets or ribs extend along the underside of the closure from each closure apron to the opposing surface of the closure annular wall. These gussets increase the strength of the closure base against buckling or distortion during application to the container and during use, and help to reduce variations in closure operating characteristics due to tolerance variations during the manufacturing process.